Filter



Och 25, 1938. A. G. THOMAS 2,134,061

FILTER v Filed NOY. 20, 1936 Inventor Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to filters, and especially to filters such as those used in connection with internal combustion engines for cleaning the o il supply. 'Ihis is a contnuation-in-part of my applications Serial No. 61,483 filed January 30, 1936, and Serial No. 70,734 flied March 25, 1936.

An object is to provide a filter through which all the circulating oil may be passed, without danger of clogging.

Another object is to provide a filter in which the separation of solid material from the oil is accomplished largely by gravity, means being provided so that the matter settled out will be permanently removed from the circulating oil. This type of lter is exceptionally eiiicient as evidenced by the fact that the oil in the crankcase of an automobile engine will become clear after the engine is stopped for a while.

Other objects will appear in the specification.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a part-sectional elevation of a filter with compressed filtering elements and a sediment chamber with oil pressure-operated cover.

Figure 1A, is a part-sectional elevation of a variation of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary part-sectional elevation of a lter casing with sediment chamber cover hinged to one wall of the casing. y

Figure 3 is a part-sectional elevation of an engine crankcase pan with pressure operated sediment chamber cover.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the pan shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a diaphragm element for closing a sediment chamber cover.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the filter of Figure l, connected to an engine.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary part-sectional elevation of a filter casing with a sediment chamber cover operated by magnetic'means.

In Figure 1 casing I has threaded bottom cover plate 2 screwed on. Inlet pipe 3 is threaded into a attened portion of casing I and is extended to form` cylinder 4 in which piston 5 is slidable. Link arm 6 is pivoted to piston 5 at 1 and is pivoted at 8 to inclined arm 9 fastened to plate I which is fastened to shaft I I the ends of which have bearing in suitablerecesses ingiing, I2 fastened to casing I as shown. One efid" of tension spring III is fastened to link 6 and the other end to cylinder Il in which hole I3 is provided.

Spring I4 will normally pull link 6 so that plate I0 will be held in a vertical plane against stop I5 fastened to casing I, but when oil under pressure (Cl. 21o-179) is supplied to pipe 3 piston 5 will be forced to the left so that plate Il! will be rotated to lie in a horizontal position ush with ring I2. Lug I6 fastened to plate I0 will strike against ring I2 to limit the movement of the plate. This lug may be extended to form a flange around the semi-periphery of plate I0 and a similar flange may be provided on the opposite lower side. In any event plate I0 will form a close fit and will tightly close olf sediment chamber I'I from upper chamber I8 of the filter, when the incoming oil pushes piston to the left and so enters chamber I8 through hole I3. As long as the incoming oil passes through pipe 3, plate I0 will be held in horizontal closed position.

Therefore, if the lter is connected inthe oil circulating system of an engine, each time the engine is started sediment chamber I'I will be automatically closed oi from chamber I8 from which oil will flow to outlet pipe I9 which is threaded into casing I.

Each time the engine is stopped the pressure of oil against piston 5 ceases and so tension spring I4 will pull link arm 6 back so that plate Il) is -pulled to the vertical position as shown in Figure 1. Solid matter then begins to settle out of the oil in chamber -I8 by gravity and this matter falls into sediment chamber I1 in which it remains since cover plate I0 automatically blocks oi chamber I'I when the engine is started, so that the sediment in chamber Il will not be stirred up into the oil stream.

'I'he chamber I8 may be made relatively large in comparison with the total volume of oil so that` a large part, or a major portion of the oil supply will be filtered when the engine is at rest. Each time the engine is stopped a fresh volume of oil in chamber I8 is filtered and so the total oil supply will be rapidly ltered if chamber I8 is sufficiently large `and if fairly frequent stops are made. The time required for particles to settle out of the oil in chamber I8 will depend upon the temperature and viscosity of the oil, the size and nature of the particles, and the length of stop. Ordinarily these factors will be such that more solid matter will be taken out of the oil by this filter than with lters using fabrics or similar elements.

Cover plate I0 should be pivoted at such height that its lower edge will not stir up sediment when it is rotated. This cover may be hinged at one edge to prevent this, as shown by sediment chamber cover plate 20 of Figure 2. This plate is hinged at 22 to casing 2| and in the closed position rests against lug 23. It may Alli forated plete u with imiee 2s ie' iestened te pipev I9. Axially slidable platel 21, which may also be perforated, fits closely around pipe I9. Compression spring 28. pressing against the top of casing I and against plate 21, urges this plate toward plate to compress filtering discs 29 made oi felt or some suitable material. These discs have central holes so that they will iit snugly over pipe I9. Washers 36 made of screening or the like separate discs 29 and conduct oil from chamber I8 between them but not dlrectly to slots 24. Washer 3l also made of screeningor theelike is of lesser diameter than washers 36 and serves to conduct oil filtering through the discs 29 to slots 24 so that the filtered oil will pass into drain pipe I9 and so to parts oi' the engine or to the crankcase. The construction is similar to that shown in my application Serial No. 70,734, filed March 25, 1936.

Pin 33 is fastened to hub 34 of plate 21 and is movable in slot4 32 in pipe I9. Rod 35 is fastened to piston 36 which is slidable in pipe I 9, end stop lug 31 being provided.

Normally, oil passes radially down the channels formed by washers 36 and through filtering discs 29 and then down washer channel 3| and so through slots 24. Some of the oil, especially in the case of the end discs -29, passes radially through those discs or through the narrow annular gaps 38 between discs 29. While the oil is being filtered, a certain back pressure will exist in chamber I8 so that piston 36 will be forced upward until rod 35- strikes pin 33. 'I'he pressure on pin 33 will therefore tend to move plate 21 upward against compression spring 28 so that the greater the pressure on the bottom faf'e of piston 36, the less will spring 28 compress filtering discs 29. Therefore as the pores of these discs become more clogged with solid matter filtered out of the oil the pressure of plate 21 compressing the filtering elements.will become less so that the pores will automatically tend to enlarge due to the resiliency of the filtering material. Should the pores finally become clogged, the pressure against piston 36 will become suiiicient to reduce the compression of spring 28 enough for oil to pass through annular spaces 38 and so into pipe I9. Any leakage of oil that may pass around piston 36 will iiow out of pipe I 9. It is obvious that any number of' filtering discs 29 and washers 36 and 3i may be used. These filtering discs may be of different thicknesses so that some of them will trap fine particles and some of them coarser particles alone. The general principle of these filtering pads is the lsame as that shown in Figure 1 of my previously mentioned application Serial No. 70,734, filed March 25, 1936. The principal difference is that a piston is used in this case instead of a diaphragm. The piston 36 normally rests against lug 31 4by gravity, when no oil pressure exists in chamber I8.

As shown in Figure 1A, piston 5 and connected mechanism may be eliminated if desired. In that event tension spring 40 will be fastened to piston 36 and to link arm 39 which is pivoted to arm 4I by means of pivot 8a. Arm 4I is attached to cover plate III at an angle of approximately degrees as shown. 'I'hen if chamber I8 is filled with liquid by means of inlet pipe 3, piston 36 will be forced up in tube I9 and will pull spring 40, and arm 39 in an upward. direca,is4l,oe1

tion to rotate arm 4I cover plate I9 in counter-clockwise direction to,` close piston 36 to continue to travel so that rod 35 may strike pin 33, even though plate Il is tightly closed. When the-liquid pressure ceases to hold piston 36 up it vwilll fall by its own weight, together with the weight of arm 39 and arm 4I so that cover plate I6 will be rotated to the open or vertical position as shown. Arm 39 may be usedas a stop for plate I8 or any other suitable stop may be provided.

In this iorm of the device the piston 36 serves two purposes. Chamber I8 should be kept filled with liquid by bending inlet pipe 3 up to the level of the top of casing I, or by using a suitable check valve in pipe 3. This is to prevent the settling liquid from draining out when the pressure ceases and is also for the purpose of causing immediate movement of piston 36 when additional liquid is forced into chamber I8 through pipe 3, in order. to prevent stirring of the sediment in chamber I1 by the incoming liquid stream.

Any kind of iiltering unit may be'used in the top of the chamber I8, or none at all. The additional filtering effect is preferable however. Drain pipe I9 may be extended as far toward ring I2 as desired, so that oil may be pumped from pipe I9 even if chamber I8 is not full. Pipe I9 may be ofi-set so that it will not be struck by plate I0. When suflicient sediment accumulates in chamber I1 it may he removed by unscrewing bottom cap 2 which may be in the form of a cup and which may have baffles to help trap the sediment. Itis obvious that the vacuum of the intake of the engine may be used to move the cover plate, or any moving part of the engine or car may be employed for that purpose. The vacuum may be applied to pipe 3 of Figure 1 to draw piston 5 to the right. In this case link arm 6 would `be connected with arm 4I, and a separate inlet would be provided.

In Figure 3 is shown crankcase pan 53 with false bottom 54 forming sediment chamber 6I. Bottom 54 has slots 68 with which slots 59 of slidable coverplate 55 may be registered. An extension 62 of plate 55 is fastened to piston 51 working in cylinder 56 fastened to pan 53. Inlet pipe 58 is connected to the oil circulating system so that pressure will force piston 51 and plate 55 to the left to cover slots 66 when the engine is started. When the engine is stopped spring 63 retracts piston 51 so that slots 59 and 66 are brought into register. Solid matter will then fall through these slots into chamber 6I.

In Figure 5 is shown a method of tripping the cover plate by means of a diaphragm instead of a piston. Inlet pipe 64 is threaded into casing 65 with diaphragm 61 clamped to cylinder 66 integral with pipe 64, by means of threaded ring 68. Hole 69 is provided in cylinder 66 so that oil will flow intothe interior of casing 65. Rod 16 is fastened to the center of diaphragm 61 so that this rod will be displaced as oil pressure forces the diaphragm to the left. The rod 19 can then be linked to a cover plate, similarly to arm 6 of Figure 1. Spring 1I will normally pull diaphragm 61 to the right.

In Figure 6 is shown engine 12 with lter 13 attached. Oil is supplied to the filter through pipe 16 and is withdrawn from the filter by pipe 15. l

In Figure 7 sediment chamber cover plate 43 is fastened to shaft 44 having rotational bearing in casing. 42. Shaft 44 passes through casing 42 and is bent to form arm 45 to which solenoid armature 46 is pivoted at 41.. Solenoid coil 48 may be supplied with current from the ignition circuit each time the ignition key isv turned to make contact. Therefore armature rod 4B will be pulled up by magnetic action so that plate 43 will be turned to lie in a horizontal plane and block off sediment chamber 49 each time the engine is started. When the engine is stopped and current is not supplied to coil 48, rod 4B drops and turns plate 43 back into a vertical plane as shown so that solid material may settle into chamber 49. AThe wires 5I and 52 supplying culrent to coil 48 are brought through cover 50 fastened to casing 42.

The method of settling solid material out of a liquid by gravity and4 then sealing the sediment oil permanently is novel and highly eicient. It will filter both large and small particles if suiiicient time is allowed and is far superior to older methods employing iiltering material alone, since, in such iilters the oil continually passes through the objectionable foreign matter trapped out of the oil and may take some of it up again. Furthermore my lter will remove particles of smaller size than other lters as described.

This filter may also be used for other liquids in addition to its use for oil.

What I claim is:

1. In a lter, a casing, an inlet and an outlet for liquid in said casing, filtering means disposed within said casing, yielding means compressing said iiltering means, a piston acting upon said yielding means and operated by pressure of said liquid to reduce the compression of said filtering means in inverse relation to the pressure of said liquid, a sediment compartment within said casing. a cover for said compartment, and means for connecting said piston with said cover so that said compartment will be closed when said liquid is owing through said lter.

2. In a iilter, a casing, an inlet and an .outlet for liquid in said casing, filtering discs separated by liquid conducting elements and surrounding a drain tube, yielding means compressing said ltering discs, and a piston movable in a cylinder, said piston coacting with said yielding means, and said piston acting upon said yielding means to reduce the compression of said ltering discs as the pressure of said liquid is increased.

3. In a lter, a casing, an inlet and an outlet for liquid in said casing, ltering means disposed within said casing andsurrounding a drain tube 55 within said casing, a piston movable in said drain tube, anopening in said tube -to allow said liquid to be forced against said piston by liquid ,pressure,yielding means compressing said iiltering means, means connecting said piston with said yielding means, said connecting means acting upon said yielding means to reduce the degree of compression of said filtering means as the pressure of said liquid is increased.

4. In a lter, a casing, an inlet and an outlet for liquid in said casing, a sediment chamber within said casing, means operated by pressure of said liquid to close off said sediment chamber from the remainder of the space within said casing and to keep said chamber closed at all times While said liquid is flowing, and yielding means for opening said sedimentV chamber when said pressure is reduced below a predetermined amount.

5. In a filter, a casing, an inlet and an outlet for liquid in said casing, a sediment compartment within said casing, a movable closure within said casing for said compartment, a piston movable in a cylinder and associated with said closure, means for admitting said liquid to said cylinder so that said piston will move saidclosure to close said compartment while said liquid is flowing through said casing, and yielding means associated with said closure for opening said compartment while said liquid is not flowing through said casing.

6. In a lter, a casing, an inlet and an outlet for liquid in said casing, a sediment chamber within said casing, an engine associated with said lter, means for supplying said liquid from said engine to lsaid filter, means for returning vsaid liquid from said iilter to said engine, automatically actuated means for by-passing said liquid around said sediment chamber while said engine is running, and for connecting said liquid insaid casing with said sediment chamber while said engine is not running.

7. In a filter, a casing, an inlet and an outlet for liquid in said casing, a sediment chamber within said casing, an engine associated with said filter, means for supplying said liquid from said engine to said lter, means for returning said liquid from said filter to said engine, electrically actuated means for by-passing said liquid around said sediment chamber while said engine is running and for connecting said liquid in said casing with said sediment chamber while said engine is not running, said last named means being connected to the ignition system oi' said engine for operation thereby.

ALBERT G. THOMAS. 

